


Traitor

by HASA_Archivist



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Drama, First Age
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-25
Updated: 2015-04-25
Packaged: 2018-03-25 15:29:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3815549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HASA_Archivist/pseuds/HASA_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Traitor, they called him.  It has never been true until now.  (Sauron/Morgoth)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Traitor

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

Traitor, they call him. He had another name before, one he has forgotten. One he chose to forget, when he became Gorthaur. Those who were brothers and sisters to him of old taunt him now, calling him the dog of Melkor, traitorous servant of Aulë. Aulë himself has turned to the Elves (Gorthaur has seen this, knows it to be true), and teaches them what he once taught to the Ainur themselves, and _loves_ them, and he does not seem to care that Gorthaur no longer follows him.

That hurts, sometimes. That Aulë chooses to not even notice his betrayal, he who was once among the most favoured. He never spoke of this to Melkor, but the greatest of the Vala knew anyway, and punished( _rewarded_ ) his mind for straying to his old master by driving away the pain of memory with the pain of the flesh.

For Melkor, like Aulë, is a smith, but instead of metal he manipulates flesh and mind and soul, twisting Gorthaur into new shapes, ones more pleasing to him. He never knew how or when his Lord will choose to come. Sometimes it was but a joining of the spirit, Gorthaur finding himself wrapped around in the Song of Melkor, so beautiful he could not bear to think of it ending, so intoxicating he was sure it would drive him insane.

Other times, Gorthaur took forms of flesh, and his submission then was made a hundred-fold more ( _painful_ )beautiful. Melkor did not stay long once he had taken his pleasure, but Gorthaur kept the form he wore for his Lord a little longer; he can see the marks on it, watch bruises blossom where teeth and nails once were.

He once made the mistake of taking the form of another, thinking that seeing such a one kneeling before him would please his Lord. It did. It pleased him so much that Melkor kept him like that for what seemed like an eternity, conjuring up mirrors before them so that Gorthaur could see what a sight he made; Finwë King, bruised and bleeding and begging for more.

Every form he takes now bears a scar across the hip, where Melkor cut too deep. He can feel it ache now, as he wanders across the battlefield. Another Elf among so many will hardly be noticed. The forces of Valinor are victorious, but exhausted also. It is to be expected; they have fought dragons and Balrogs, orcs and werewolves (although the Lord of Werewolves, until now, was indeed absent from the battlefield). _Traitor_ , he hears, a whisper in the back of his mind, and he turns away from his captive lord, and the sight of his defeat.

Traitor, they have called him, a hundred times over, but it has never been true before now.


End file.
